Dental floss holder



Jan. 29, 1929.

E. G. STAFFORD DENTAL FLOSS HOLDER Original Filed Dec. 24, 1926 III/IIabtowmg I slightly modified in form.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal section of an- Patented J an. 29, 1929.

ETHEL G. STAFFORD, or BRADEN'ION, FLORIDA. r

DENTAL FLOSS HOLDER;

Application filed December 24,1926, Serial No. 156,9231. Renewed July13, 1928.

This invention pertains to dental floss holders of that type designedfor use by individuals, 7

Objects of the present invention are to provide a dental floss holder ofan exceedingly simple construction, one that can be made readily and atlow cost, and yet have the advantages of enabling the user to draw thefloss taut and secure it by a very simple method. 7 z

Another object is to so fashion a dental floss holder that it can bemade of spun and stamped metal, celluloid or other desired material andyet be strong and efl'icient in use.

In addition, the invention is directed to certain details ofconstruction and arrangement of partsto be pointed out herein and formthe subject of some of the appended claims. 7 V

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a den tal floss holder constructedaccording to my invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of a bobbin together with a shaft, thelatter being shown in cross section.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a closure portion shown in Figure 1. p

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a tubular handle portion.

Figure 4 is a transverse section of the tubular handle on line 4-4 ofFigure 3.

Figures 5 and 6 are, respectively a transverse section of a body portionshown in Figure 1 and of a cap portion shown in Figures 1 and 2 Figure 7is a. longitudinal section of a modified formof a. part of theinvention.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of a holder similar to that shown Iin Figure =1 but other modification of the invention, and

I Figure 10 is a longitudinal section of a one piece bobbin and shaft.

The body-portion of the holder is denoted at 1 and may be provided withthe usual arms 2 between which to stretch the floss 3. one of,

the arms preferably having a button 4: there on about which to .wrap thefloss whereby it may be positively held.

tion receives upon it a slip-cap 7 forming a Said body-portion isprovided with. a recess 5 to receive one end of a tubular handle-fclosure, said cap-having in opposite walls, Figure 6, an inwardlyextending tit 8 adapted to enter an'angular groove 9 in opposite wallsof the handle, Figure 4, said grooves being created by forcinginwardlythe material of said handle,-it being clear that said cap andhandle may be held in connected relation. by entering saidltits of thecap into the ends of the grooves where they open at the endof thehandle, and then turning said cap about i the latter, forming aparticularly convenient and efle'ctive method of connection, the'tits'and grooves being readily formed in the parts whether of sheet metal orof a non-metallic substance. i

The outer surface of the cap 7 is tapered toward its outer end as shownin Figures 1 and 2 and is adapted to receive upon it a member 10 havingan inwardly tapered-bore '10, the walls of the member adapted to engagethecap by friction, the purpose of'which will appear later. The end ofthe handle; portion that enters the bore5 of the bodyl is provided withoppositely disposed grooves 11, but one of which is shown,- Figure 3,these corresponding to the grooves 9 already described as to use andpurpose. As with the cap 6, the walls ofthe body 1 for the recess 5 arefurnished with inwardly projecting tits 12, Figure 5, to enter thegrooves. 11 as in the instance first mentioned. By the means thus setforth the whole structure thus far de scribed when assembled is acomplete unit.

In the body 1 at the bottom of the recess 5- is a socket 13 disposedcentrally of the latter and receiving one end of a shaftl l whose otherend is'reduced in diameter leaving a not shown, in the usual way wherebyto'retain the floss 3 therein, said floss extending into the'handle 6through a slot 18 in'thelatter, which slot is partially coveredby thebody when seated in the reoesse, a small opening being exposed at thebottom'of the slot through which thefloss maybe drawn. The shoulder 14of the shaft 14 prevents the latter. from leaving the-cap 7 and sincethe member 10 and the shaft are fixed rela-' tively the parts ofthestructure just consid- .said member 22 as in the first example.

ered are a unit. Said shoulder 14- is spaced slightly from the end'wallof the cap 7 so that the latter and the member 10 can have relativemovement, or so that the frictional engagement thereof can be made orbroken at Will. The shaft has control of the bobbin l6 and since themember 10 is aflixed to the shaft the separation of the member and cappermits the shaft to be turned to stretch the floss across thearms 2 andsaid shaft being freed permits the floss to be drawn out upon the armsand attached before being drawn taut.

The bobbin is permitted to move along the shaft in order that as thefloss is removed from time to time said bobbin may properly presentitself to the place of outlet for said oss.

In Figure 7 is. shown a slight modification of the friction meanswherein 18 is the tubular handle, and 19 is a memberanswering in thecapacity of the cap 7 of the earlier figures but having an inwardlytapered bore 20 in its outer end to receive the tapered shank 21 of amember 22 corresponding in purpose to the described member 10, a shaft23 being fixed in This structure is, of course, a mere reversal of theearlier form.

Again, Figure 8 which in the main may be constructed as are other formsherein, is modified with respect to the manner of constructing andarranging the outer or free end ofthe handle represented in thisinstance by 24. It is observed that it has a closed end wall 25 and thatsaid handle at that end is tapered to'receive the member 26,corresponding to 10 of the other figures, the inner wall surfaces ofsaid member being formed to frictionally engage the tapered handle-end.The shaft 27 is shouldered at 28 as before and the reduced end passesthrough the wall 25 and is fixed in the member 26. Whereas in Fig ure lthe cap 7 and member 10 are removable from the handle together with theshaft 14:, in this instance the handle 24 and member 26 remain inconnected relation, the whole being detachable from the body-portion.

InFigure 9 the handle denoted at 28 may be screw threaded at its outerend and the cap 29 maybe screwed upon it in lieu of the groove and titconstruction previously described. In this form the bobbin 30 may be apart of the shaft 31, Figure 10.

The manner of frictional engagement of the members 10, 22, 26 and 32, itmay be seen, is optional through the several forms described as beingnovel methods, it is believed, in a dental floss holder. 7

I claimv1. i-kdental floss holder including in its constructiona'body-portion having a socket in one end, a tubular handle portion,seated therein adapted for withdrawal, a bobbin in said handle-portion,a rotatable shaft on tional engagement.

which the bobbin is carried, the same extending through and outside thehandle, and a member aflixed to the shaft outside said handle portionwith a conical bore to engage over the handle adapted to be held thereonby fric- 2. A dental floss holder including in its construction abody-portion and a tubular handle terminating in a tapered outer freeend, a bobbin in said handle, a shaft rotatable within the handle tocarry and positively rotate the bobbin, and a member fixed with respectto the shaft and having a tapered bore complementary to the tapered endof the handle adapted to frictionaily engage the same. 7 I 3. A dentalfloss holder including in its construction a body-portion and a tubular.

handle extendingtherefrom terminating in a conical surface at its freeend, a bobbin in said handle, a shaft extending through the handle tocarry and positively rotate the bobbin, the same extending from saidfree end of the handle and having a fixed member thereon having asurface complementary to said conical surface'of said handle adapted toengage the same by friction for securing the shaft against rotation.

4:. A dental floss holder including a body portion having a laterallyextending arm, a tubular handle-portion extending from the body, abobbin in said handle for holding floss stretched between it and saidarm, said handle having a conical surface at its free end, a shaftengaging and rotating the bobbin terminating outside the handle, and amember affixed to the shaft having a surface complementary to saidconical surface of the handle adapted to engage the sameby friction.

5. A dental floss holder including a bodyportion having a laterallyextending arm, a tubular handle-portion for the body detachabletherefrom and having a closed conical end, a member adapted to fit onsaid conical end and held thereon by friction, a bobbin in said handle,and a shaft carrying the bobbin with which the latter is rotatable, saidshaft extending through the closed end of the handle and fixed in saidmember.

6. A dental floss holder including a bodyportion having a laterallyextendingarm, a tubular handle-portion engageable withthe body-portion,the said handle-portion and said body-portion having complementary meansfor holding them in connected relation, a bobbin in the tubular handlefor re-- and a tubular handle, a bobbin in the handle for receivingwindings of floss attached to said arm, a shaft separate from the handleadapted to frictionally engage the handle for securing the shaft fromrotation. V

8. A dental floss holder including a bodyportion having a laterallyextended arm to which to attach the floss, a tubular handle, means onthe body and handle complementary to one another for securing the saidbody and handle together preventing them being pulled apart, a bobbin insaid handle, a shaft controlling the bobbin and extending to the freeend of the handle, and a member fixed with respect to the shaft andhaving 'a conical surface adapted to frictionally engage a complementarysurface of the handle preventing the shaft rotating.

9. A dental floss holder including a bodyportion, a tubular handleattachable thereto,

there being an angular groove in one of the parts and an extension 1nthe other for engagement holding the two parts in'connected relation, abobbin in said handle, a shaft en gaging the bobbin for positivelyrotating it, the same extending to the free end of said handle, and amember fixed with respect to the shaft and having a surface to engage byfriction a held part of the handle for securing the shaft and bobbinfrom rotation.

10. A dental floss holder including abody having a recess in one end,thewall of the recess having a projection extending into said recess, atubular handle-portion adapted to enter the recess and having an angulardepression in its outer surface to receive into it the said projectionof the body, a shaft ex tending longitudinally through and outside thehandle-portion, there being a socket in the body at the bottom of thedescribed recess in the latter to receive the inner end of the shaft, abobbin on said shaft enclosed in the handle-portion, a cap attachable tothe outer end'of the latter, the said shaft extending therethrough, anda member fixed with respect to the shaft adapted to frictionally engagethe said cap. 1 Y

11; A dental floss holder including in its construction a handle portionhaving a pair of spaced bridging members for a strand of floss, a flossholding bobbin, and a shaft r0 A tatable Within the handle, said bobbinbeing mounted on said shaft and at all times free to shift along saidshaft.

12. A dental floss holder including in its construction a handle portionincluding two spaced laterally extending arms across which to stretch astrand of floss, a floss holding bob-' bin within the handle, a supportalso within the handle lying longitudinally thereof, said bobbin beingcarried on the support and free at all times to shift therealong, therebeing an opening in the handle opposite the bobbin through which thefloss may be drawn from said bobbin.

13. A dental floss holder including in its construction a hollowhandlehaving an opening in its side, a floss holding bobbin in saidhandle, asupport within and lying longitudi nally of the handle forcarrying said bobbin and along which the latter is at all times free toshift at said opening. a

14. A dental floss holder including in its construction a hollow handlehaving an ETHEL o. STAFFORD.

